Hair vacuum cleaner



Feb. 9, 1954 w. D. CROSBY 2,668,315

HAIR VACUUM CLEANER Filed May 1 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wilbur 0. CrosbyINVENTOR.

Feb. 9, 1954 w. D. CROSBY HAIR VACUUM CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May1 1950 Fig. 4

Wilbur D. Crosby INVEN TOR.

MW/10y fl/mg Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIRVACUUM CLEANER Wilbur D. Crosby, Orinda, CaliL, assignor o! twcnty-fiveper cent to William L. Hillman, Orinda, and twenty-five per cent to JohnW. Crosby, M desto, C lif.

Application May 1, 1950, SerialNo. 159,315

(01. I-JM) 2 Claims. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful immovements in a hair vacuumcleaner and more specifically pertains to a device for applying asuction or vacuum to hair to assist in removing dandruff, scale or thelike therefrom; to apply vacuum or suction to assist in massaging; andto provide a device for producing and delivering a stream of cleansedair, heated or unheated, as desired.

Th principal object of this invention is to p ovide an improved airblowing means which is specifically adapted for use by barbers and thelike for applying a suction to the hair, scalp or other places forcleansing the same; to operate as a portable vacuum cleaner for removingout times of hair, dust and the like from the clothing and person whosehair has been treated.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a device inconformity with the preceding obj cts which is also capable of use as ameans for supplying cleansed and unheated or heated air.

A still further important object of the inven tion is to provide amechanism in conformity with the above mentioned objects in which thevarious parts thereof are of simple construction, may be easily removedor installed, and are capable of ready sterilization and cleansing asdesired.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionprocee-cls, attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment ofwhich has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a preferred embodiment ofthe device with a suction cone nozzle applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical central'longitudinal seational View or the deviceshown in Figure 1, il1ustrating portions of the interior construction ofthe same;

Figure 3 i a fragmentary top plan view or the device shown in Figures 1and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the underside of the device oropposite side of the device shown in Figures b3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially u the p a eindicated b the section line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section. line G6 of Figure 2; and

Figure '7 is a plan view of the filtering element forming a part of theinvention.

Referring now more specifically to the accom partying drawings, whereinlike numerals desig nate like parts throughout the various views, itwill be seen that the invention includes an electric motor of anydesired type and having a casing, if), this casing constituting a handleby means of which the apparatus may be manipulated, the casing having asuitable opening for the reception of an electric conductor i2 by meansof which the electric motor is supplied with power, under the control ofa pair of switches indicated generally at M and i6, one of the switchescontrolling the operation of the motor and the other switch controllingthe op! oration of an electric heating element as set forth hereinafter.

Preferably. the motor casing i6 is provided with an annuiarband orshoulder portion I8 for a purpose which will be later apparent.

The motor is provided with the customary armature (notshown), the sameincluding an axially extending shaft 20, upon which is detachablysecured a fan assembly 22 of any desired character. This fan ispreferably of the centriiugal type, and the same may convenientlyconsist of a circular disk or plate 24 having a hub portion 26 which isremovably secured upon the shaft 20 as by a set screw or the like 28,the th disk 24 being provided with a plurality of radially offwentervanes or blades 30.

The apparatus further includes a cylindrical casing 32 which is adaptedto be siidably received upon the outer end of the motor casing it, tohave its inner end abutted against the annular collar I8 formed upon thecasing H), the sleeve 32 being detachably secured upon the casing It asby a set screw or the like 34. The apparatus is provided with a suctionnozzle which may be of plastic, metal or any other suitable material,the nozzle being in icated by the numeral '36 and having a suction orinlet end 38 communieating with a tapering passage 40 within the nozzlewhich extends from the inlet end to the rear end of the nozzle.

The rear end of the nozzle consists of a cylindrical portion 42 which isdisposed in any suitable angle with respect to the nozzle 36, and whichslidably embraces the open outer end of he sleeve 32, this inner-endbeing provided with a bayonetslot 44 ofxconventional design fordetachable'engagement by aiiastening screw 46 which is screw-threadedlyengaged in the end of the sleeve 32. By means of the bayonet slot andthe screw, it is obvious that the nozzle may now be readily attached toor removed from the sleeve 32, which latter in turn is releasablysecured to the casing H! of the motor, The outer end of the sleeve 32constitutes a centrifugal pump casing in which is received thecentrifugal fan 22, and into which communicates the passage 4%. Receivedwithin the outer end of the sleeve 32, and disposed within the outlet ofthe cylindrical portion 42 of the nozzle 36, is a disk 58 constituting apartition or baffle, and which is provided with a central aperture oropening 58. This opening 58 loosely receives the shaft extension 8, andconstitutes the inlet to the centrifugal fan 22, this disk or partitionbeing held in place by a ring-like member 52 retained by a set screw orthe like 54.

Removably seated in a slot in the ring 52 and in a registering slot inthe cylindrical portion 42 of the nozzle 38, is a removable tray 58which is open at its top and its bottom, and is provided with a conicalfiltering screen 58 secured thereto in any desired manner.

The arrangement is such that when the tray is in place, the screen willbe disposed across the outlet of the passage Q8 of the nozzle, so thatair passing through the nozzle will be filtered or screened before thesame passes through the opening 58 into the pumping chamber of thecentrifugal fan 22. This will prevent the passage of dirt or the like,bobby pins, or other I foreign matter through the fan or pump when thedevice is operated to clean hair.

From the pumping chamber, the air through the nozzle and fan is passedthrough a discharge passage 68 in the material'of the nozzle 36, to anoutlet opening or vent S2. A suitable electric resistance heater 64 ofany desired character is disposed in the passage 88, for heating the airpassed therethrough, this electric heater being connected to the switch18 in any desired manner, not shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a devicewhich may be selec tively employed to provide a source of suction fordrawing air through hair or the like for cleansing the same; foroperating as a vacuum cleaner or the like as desired, this air drawnthrough the device being discharged through the vent 62. Alternatively,the device may be employed to deliver heated and cleansed air, as fordrying hair or the like, by energizing the heating element 6 through theswitch 56, and actuating the motor through the switch it, whereby airdrawn through the nozzle 48 will be cleansed by the screen 58, anddischarged across the heating element 64 from the vent 82.

It will further be seen that a novel hair cleaning element has beenprovided in the form of the tray 58 which may thus be readily withdrawnfrom its slot in the nozzle 3%, when it is desired to cleanse, sterilizeor screen 58.

As shown in Figure 1, a suitable closure 88 may be provided for thatportion of the nozzle which houses the heating element '88,"so that bythe removal of fastening screws 68, access may be had to the heatingelement for inspection, repair or cleansing of the same.

The extremity 38 or inlet of the nozzle 38, is preferably provided witha suction cup attachment, the same consisting of a rubber or similarbushing 18 having one endprovided with resilreplace the ient fingers orthe like 12, and its other end having a socket 14 adapted to embrace theextremity of the nozzle 35. It will now be seen that when the device isassembled in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device may bemanipulated to cause the flexible fingers '12 to scrub or massage thescalp or hair and dislodge dandruff or scale therefrom while drawing acurrent of air through the same to remove the dislodged particles andthereby properly cleansing the hair. During this operation the screen 58will serve to prevent the ingress of this foreign material into the airstream flowing through the centrifugal or compressor.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the devicetogether with as many advantages will be readily apparent and furtherexplanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerousmodifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the artafter a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanyingdrawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstruction shown and described, but all suitable modifications may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A vacuum cleaner of the hand type for cleaning hair and scalecomprising an electric motor having a drive shaft, said motor includinga casing as a part thereof, a nozzle body and means for mounting saidnozzle body upon said motor casing whereby the latter constitutes a handgrip means for supporting the cleaner, a centrifugal fan mounted uponthe drive shaft of said motor, said nozzle body having air inlet anddischarge ports, passages in said nozzle body coninvention, what isnecting said ports with the suction and discharge sides of saidcentrifugal fan, said nozzle body having a flexible nozzle on one endthereof communicating with said air inlet port, said nozzle havingflexible fingers for massaging the scalp, said ports being disposed inlaterally ofiset position on opposite sides of said nozzle body andhaving their axes in alignment and at an angle with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the motor.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said nozzle body has an openinginto said air inlet port passage, a tray removably mounted in saidopening, a screen carried by said tray extending across said air inletpassage.

WILBUR D. CROSBY,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 971,044 Hutchinson Sept. 27, 1910 1,465,292 Wessig M Aug. 21,1923 1,584,985 Finkhousen May 18, 1926 1,676,858 Ferber et a1 July 10,1928 2,054,975 Goldberg Sept. 22, 1936 2,068,496 Linghammar Jan. 19,1937 2,231,003 Fois Feb. 11, 19 11 2,387,893 Ellis Oct. 30. 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 833,302 France July 18. 1933 860,395 FranceSept. 30, 1940

